Sight



33-244- OR 199019399 SR March 14, 1933. Q LYMAN, R 1,901,399

r. SIGHT I Filed Feb. 25, 1950 unlilt 26 '2 20 23 6 5 3%. GEQMETFUCiiL 1NSTRUZ11ENTS.

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. LYMAN, JR., OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LYMAN GUN SIGHT CORPORATION, OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT SIGHT Application filed February 25, 1930. Serial No. 431,191.

My invention relates to a sight, and more especially to a front sight for a firearm.

Generally speaking, the invention relates to a hooded type of front sight wherein a plurality of interchangeable reticules or inserts are provided so that the sight may be adapted to various kinds of light conditions and the like, and to various sizes and styles of targets.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a sight of the above character wherein the inserts may be readily interchangeable without affecting the sight adjustment of the firearm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sight wherein inserts of relatively thin sheet material may be used, thus providing for minimum light reflection and relatively sharp sight definition.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement wherein the inserts or reticules may be rigidly supported and protected against injury.

In a more specific aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement wherein the reticules or inserts may be rigidly supported and accurately positioned within a relatively long protecting and light shielding hood, but may be readily removable therefrom and interchangeable without the use of tools.

A feature of the invention resides in an arrangement wherein there are no parts which are apt to be loosened, detached or damaged upon the rifle or other firearm on which the sight is mounted, being inserted into or withdrawn from a gun-case or the like.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rifle having a front sight thereon, according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the front sight shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the improved front sight;

Fig. 4: is a view of one style of reticule suitable for use in the improved front sight;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view of the parts of the sight detached from one another and on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawing in which equipped with a usual form of rear sight 11,

and a front sight 12, according to my invention.

The sight 12 is provided with the usual dove-tailed base 13, which may be driven into the usual dove-tailed slot of the rifle 7 barrel 14. Preferably integrally formed with respect to dove-tailed base 13 is a general hollow cylindrical hood 15, having a bore 16 and a counter-bore 17, providing a radial shoulder 18. The counter-bore 17 is threaded at 19 for the reception of hollow cylindrical plug 20, which is knurled exteriorly at 21, so that it may be readily grasped in the fingers, and is provided with an end face 22 which, in cooperation with shoulder 18, is adapted to clamp the reticule or insert 23 rigidly within the hood 15.

The inserts 23 are preferably made of relatively thin sheet steel and comprise a ringlike body 24, having an external diameter to closely fit the counter-bore portion 17, and radially extending arms 25 and 26, which are received in axially directed slots 27 and 28'of hood 15. Slots 27 and 28, in

the particular instance shown, are diametrically opposite one another and in horizontal alignment and serve to position the insert in the hood so that the post 29 of aperture 30 is vertical. Arms 25 and 26 extend radially beyond the periphery of hood 15 so that the inserts although they are substantially entirely enclosed within the hood 15 may be readily engaged by the fingers to be withdrawn or inserted into the hood.

It is particularly desirable in order to obtain sharp definition of the sight that the inserts be shaded as much as possible, and in the particular instance shown, when the plug 20 is threaded into the hood 15, the slots 27 and 28 are closed so that no light may pass into the interior of the hood except through the ends thereof.

Ordinarily, the shooter will be supplied with a plurality of inserts of the types shown in Figs. 2 and 5, in which the openings 31 are of different diameters, each opening 31 being concentric with the periphery of the ring-like body part 2 1, which, owing to its close fit in the counter-bored portion 17 of hood 15, centers the openings 31 and permits the interchange of apertures without the necessity of readjustment of the rear sight. Other types of inserts may be used, for example, that shown in Fig. 4:, in which a vertical post 82 replaces the aperture. In this instance, the arms 25 and 26 insure that the post Will be vertically positioned within the hood.

It will be readily understood from the above description that when it is desired to place an insert in the hood 15 or to change an insert mounted therein, the plug 20 is unscrewed from the hood 15 and the insert assembled in the hood with the arms 25 and 26 received in slots 27 and 28, whereupon the plug 20 is threaded into hood l5 and bearing against the insert forces the latter against shoulder 18. In the usual sight, the inserts are made of relatively heavy material, and in order to obtain sharp definition the openings in the apertures are countersunk or counter-bored on the side away from the shooters eye. In the present instance, due to the use of relatively thin inserts, I may dispense with the counter-boring entirely thus making the inserts reversible so that they may be assembled in the hood with either side towards the shooters eye.

There are no parts which may catch on the lining of a gun-case or the like and become loosened or lost, and owing to the protection given to the inserts it is relatively impossible to change the sight adjustment, etc. by an accidental blow on the exterior of the. sight.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a front sight, a generally hollow cylindrical hood, an insert having a generally circular peripheral portion adapted to closely fit within said hood, there being longitudinally directed slots in said hood, and radially extending arms on said insert received in said slots.

dinally directed slots in said hood, and ra-.

dially extending arms on said insert received in said slots, said arms extending radially beyond the periphery of the hood.

3. In a front sight, a hollow hood having a bore of circular cross-sectiomawisert having a peripheral portion a apted to closely'fit thomcillcl lallbore,there being axially directed slots in said hood, and arms on said insert adapted to be received in said slots, said arms extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of the hood, and means for holding said insert in said hood, said last named means serving to close said slots against the entrance of light into the hood.

4. In a front sight, a hollow hood pro vided with a circumferentially extending internal annular shoulder, an insert adapted to be received in said hood, means for clamping the insert against said shoulder, and means on the insert extending radially beyond the peripheral surface of the hood whereby the insert may be grasped by the fingers for insertion and withdrawal.

5. In a front sight, a hood having an internal circumferentially extending seat for an insert, an insert adapted to be assembled in said hood in an axial direction through one of the ends of the hood, said insert having a circular edge portion, 'a sighting portion and an interconnecting portion extending radially inwardly from the circular edge portion to the sighting portion, cooperating means on said insert and hood for positioning the insert in the hood with the interconnecting means vertical when the circular edge portion is received on the circumferentially extending seat of the hood and means for clamping the insert on said seat.

6. In a front sight, a hood open at the ends thereof, an insert adapted to be assembled in the hood through one of the ends thereof, said insert being provided with a circular edge portion, a sighting portion, an interconnecting portion extending from the circular edge portion radially inwardly to the sighting portion and generally radially extending edge portions, said hood being provided with a circumferentially extending internal seat for the insert and generally radially extending surfaces adapted to 000perate with the generally radially extending edges of the insert to position the latter on the seat with the interconnecting part vertical and means for clamping the insert on the seat.

7 In a front sight, a generally cylindrical hood having a circumferentially extending internal shoulder, an insert having a circular edge portion adapted to seat on the innag gQMETRlCA-L \NSTRUMENTS.

ternal shoulder of the hood, a central sighting portion, an interconnecting portion extending radially from the edge portion to the sighting portion and a radially extending arm, said hood having a slot in which said arm is received when the insert is seated on the shoulder to position the interconnecting part vertical and means for clamping the insert on said seat.

8. In a front sight, a base including a generally cylindrical hood, said base being provided with a circumferentially directed circular seat for an insert, an insert having a circular edge portion shaped to fit said seat, a sighting portion, an interconnecting portion extending radially inwardly from the circular edge portion to the sighting portion and projections extending laterally with respect to the interconnecting portion,

the hood being slotted axially to a point adjacent said seat whereby said insert may be assembled in the hood in an axial direction, the edge portions formed by slotting the hood engaging the lateral projections of the insert to maintain the interconnecting portion vertical with the circular edge portion of the insert on the seat.

9. In a front sight, a base including a generally cylindrical hood and a circumferentially directed'circular'seat for an insert, an insert on said base within said hood, said insert having a circular edge portion shaped to fit and be received on said seat, a sighting portion on said inse an interconnecting portfon' extefidi ng radially inwardly from the circular edge portion to the sighting portion and projections on the insert extending laterally with respect to the interconnecting portion, the hood being slotted in an axial 40 direction, the lateral projections extending outwardly through the slotted portion of the hood and in co-operation therewith maintaining the interconnecting portion of the insert vertical with the circular edge portion on the seat.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of February, 1930. CHARLES E. LYMAN, J R. 

